When you walked in the room that very night
A special feeling just burst inside
It was only you, nobody else
But baby, I know better[/i][/b]

Everyone had been anxiously waiting for the return of Leroy Jethro Gibbs to NCIS. He had finally been released from the hospital and had most, if not all of his memory back. He had nearly died, they all knew that. The fact that he barely survived convinced them all to get out everything they had been delaying telling him. Jenny had told him how she regretted and apologized for breaking his heart those years before. Tony had told Gibbs how he looked at him as a better person in his life than his own father. That his leadership and guidance had made him who he was and no-one else. McGee told Gibbs about his novel, and that he was the inspiration for the main character. Ziva had told him what he wanted to know about Ari and their father. Abby was ready to tell him then hesitated. Then he told them he was leaving NCIS, and her heart shattered. She knew she was again facing losing him without letting him know how she truly felt about him.

[i][b]Don't wanna love you if you don't love me
Don't wanna need you when you won't need me too
Don't wanna tell you this now, but it wouldn't be right
If I didn't tell you this tonight [/i][/b]

So Abby decided to go to his house before he left and get it all out.

"Gibbs, open up!" Abby yelled at his door. She knew the door was going to be open but wanted to see if Gibbs would open it for her.
"Abby, you knew the door would be open." He said as he opened the door for her.
"Yeah, but not for much longer." She said sadly.
"Abby, I hope you're not here to try and talk me out of leaving cos it isn't going to work." He said stepping aside so she could come inside.
"I'm not. I know how stubborn you are, and even though I am sure I could fight you all night about it, I don't want to." She said honestly.
"What?"
"You wanna leave, fine. It's your decision. I just have to talk to you first so I myself can live with you gone." Abby said dropping onto Gibbs sofa, followed shortly by him.
"Okay." He said sure that she was trying to talk him out of leaving.
"Alright. I just wanted you to know how I really feel about you, before you leave. I thought that you knew everything but obviously not." She teased but the seriousness of her tone and the look on his face, said that they both understood the importance of what was being said.
"Obviously not." He commented.
"Well, I thought that you felt the same about me, but now I know you don't. I just have to tell you that I really do care about you more than I should. And I have to tell you this tonight before you leave, not to convince you to stay." She said and the look on his face didn't register the shock she expected.
"I care about you too." He said instantly.
"You Don't get it. I knew it would have to come to this." She said and shifted on the sofa so she was closer to him. She grabbed his collar pulling him close, kissing him with everything she had. They parted breathless and she released him, got up from the couch and left.

[i][b]And now you're back inside my house again
I'm trying hard to explain
Cos baby, I wanna get it on
And baby this is where you belong [/i][/b]

He had been in Mexico for months before he even called anyone from NCIS. His first call was to Abby. And regularly calls were to Abby, talking about everything except the kiss, and the admittance of feelings. He had used all the time he was away from them to re-evaluate everything that had happened and decided to how to deal with the Abby situation.

"Gibbs. You didn't tell me you were back." Abby said as she opened her door to the ex-special agent. She jumped into his arms hugging him tightly as he managed to get inside the apartment, with Abby still in his arms.
"Surprise." He said putting her back down. She kept her arms around his neck.
"I am so surprised. What are you doing here?" She asked releasing him and going to the kitchen to brew some coffee.
"I can go back if you'd like." He said following her, putting his bag he had dropped inside the door, down on the table.
"Never. Don't go back ever." She said complaining.
"I missed you, Abs."
"I missed you too, but there is a solution to that." She reminded him putting her hands on her hips.
"Abby, I can't go back to NCIS." He said firmly.
"You don't have to go back to NCIS but you can stay here in DC." Abby said hopefully.
"Abby, I am only here for a little bit. And you know why."

[i][b]But now I have got you all alone
After all this talking on the phone
I should be strong, there's nothing wrong
I'll tell you this is where you belong, where you belong.[/b][/i]

"Why?" Abby asked honestly not getting it.
"The issue we have been avoiding for months every time we talked on the phone, since I left." He reminded her.
"Correction, the issue you have been avoiding for months." Abby said as they went into the living room to talk.
"That one." He confirmed.
"Okay, what do you have to say about it?" Abby asked.
"How do you really feel?" He asked.
"I thought that was clear. The only thing was that you either didn't or don't feel the same or that you do but aren't willing to stay." She said sadly.
"And how do you feel about that?" He asked.
"Did you come all the way back here to ask me how I'm feeling? I'm not happy that you left and refuse to stay now. I miss you and hate that phone calls are now all I have with you, when I used to be able to see you everyday." She explained. "And the fact that you know how I feel about you, but left anyway is not the best, but it's what happened."

[i][b]It was just something in your eyes
That made me realize
But now I hear voices deep inside
Telling me, telling me[/i][/b]

"It was so hard leaving after that night." He admitted.
"But you still did. It broke my heart when you told us in the squad-room. I knew I had to tell you before you left but didn't expect anything from a stubborn bastard, like you." She said teasingly but with a completely serious face.
"I was easily out the door but then I had to say good bye to you. That look you gave me that night has kept me up more than once."

[i][b]Don't wanna love you if you don't love me
Don't wanna need you when you won't need me too
Don't wanna tell you this now, but it wouldn't be right
If I didn't tell you this tonight [/i][/b]

"Look, I have told you where I stand now. And it's fine if you don't feel the same but I don't want to need you so much or even love you, if you don't feel the same." Abby explained sadly, looking deeply at Gibbs.
"You love me?" He asked.
"Of course I love you, Gibbs." She said smiling.
"No, seriously? Or like a close friend." He asked.
"I don't know what part of that kiss was so ambiguous. And I am not the kind of girl to get all mushy and emotional, so that is a big revelation for me." She deflected. She was embarrassed she had become one of those, and saying the word ‘love' out loud wasn't as easy as it appeared. Or maybe it was easier for other people, she heard say it about insignificant things or people they barely knew. When she said it, it meant that much more, cos she rarely ever says it.
"Wow." He said.
"Did I actually make The Almighty Jethro Gibbs speechless?" Abby asked.
"Abs, don't joke. This is major." She said.
"Yes it is. But if there's nothing for you to add, it means nothing."

ALTERNATE ENDINGS

[b]First, fluffy gabby ending[/b]

"What if there is something to add?" He asked.
"Care to share?" She asked.
"Abs, I am glad you told me how you feel because I had no idea." He explained.
"That's all you have to add?" She asked disappointed.
"No." He said leaning over and returning the kiss he had been planning and dreaming about for the months since he left.
"Better." She said as they separated several minutes later, breathless.
"That is all I have to add." He said and she had to kiss him again.

[b]Unresolved ending[/b]

"Then what did he say?" Tony asked.
"He left." She said trying to will herself not to cry.
"After you admitted loving him?"
"Yep. I kissed him, and he moved to Mexico. Who knows how far away he'll move now that he knows that." She said sadly. It was breaking Tony's heart to see her like that.
"He'll come back, Abs. I know it." He tried wrapping an arm around shoulders.
"That's twice now I have put myself out there for him. Maybe I wont be here when he comes back for round three." Abby sobbed.
"You'd leave NCIS?" He asked.
"No. Not because of that. I'm talking about not being there emotionally, metaphorically… spiritually. I couldn't take that again. So if he does come back, my heart wont be there for him to break again."